W.D. Pa. · TaxFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Western District of Pennsylvania

Tax in the Western District of Pennsylvania

Q: What is the typical sentence for tax offences in the Western District of Pennsylvania?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 18 months (1 yr 6 mo), with the middle half of terms between 12 and 24 months. 53% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for tax offences is 15 months.

Q: How often are tax offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

25% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 47% below it for other reasons; 27% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

Q: How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, tax offences had a median prison term of 15 months and a within-range share of 24% over the same period. The district's figures are above on median term and close to the national within-range share.

Q: Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2T1.1 and §2T1.4.

Q: Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

W.D. Pa. · Third Circuit · Tax nationally

The datafile contains cases reported to the Commission with sentencing documents. Sentence length statistics use the Commission's capped variable (sentences of 470 months or longer, including life, are recorded as 470 months) and exclude sentences of probation or a fine only. Figures are aggregates of past cases and are not a prediction for any case.

<10cases, FY202573 over FY2018–FY2025

18median prison monthsnational, this offence: 15

27%within guideline rangenational 24%

53%cases with a prison termnational 66%

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10

38%

36%

<10

median 18 mo

under 6 mo6–11 mo1–2 yr2–3 yr3–5 yr5–10 yr10–15 yr15–20 yr20–30 yr30 yr+life

Share of cases with a prison term, by length of the term (39 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: tax offences nationally.

Interquartile range 12–24 months; mean 19. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Tax was the primary offence type in 73 cases sentenced in the Western District of Pennsylvania between FY2018 and FY2025 (2% of the district's cases), with <10 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 18 months (1 yr 6 mo), longer than the national median for tax offences (15 months) and longer than the Third Circuit median (13). Half of prison terms fell between 12 and 24 months; 53% of cases carried a prison term.

27% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 24%); 25% were below the range on a government motion and 47% below it for other reasons.

FY2022 had more cases than FY2018 (17 against 11).

These are aggregates of past cases. The guideline range for any case depends on its offence level, criminal history and statutory minimums, and the sentence on the court's findings; no figure here estimates an outcome.

§ 3Position relative to the guideline range

Within guideline range 27%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 25%Below range, other 47%Not determinable 0

§ 4Compared with the district, the circuit and the nation

Measure	W.D. Pa., tax	W.D. Pa., all offences	3d Cir., tax	US, tax
Cases per fiscal year	<10	463	57	463
Share of district caseload	2.0%	100%	—	—
Median prison months	18	48	13	15
Mean prison months	19	61	—	22
Cases with a prison term	53%	86%	65%	66%
Within guideline range	27%	39%	24%	24%
Above range	—	4%	—	1%
Below range, government sponsored	25%	30%	29%	27%
Below range, other	47%	27%	47%	48%
Median final offence level	15	21	—	15

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

<10

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Tax cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

—

<10

—

<10

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Median prison months by fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

Fiscal year	Cases	Prison	Median months	Within range	Below, gov.	Below, other	Above
FY2018	11	—	—	—	—	—	0%
FY2019	11	—	—	—	—	—	0%
FY2020	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2021	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2022	17	—	—	—	—	—	—
FY2023	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2024	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2025	<10	fewer than 10 cases

§ 6Criminal history

Category I80% · 85%

Category II<10

Category III<10

Category IV<10

Category V<10

Category VI0% · 1%

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: tax offences nationally.

§ 7Guidelines applied

§none · 354 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2T1.1 Tax evasion; fraudulent or false returns · 38 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2T1.4 Aiding, assisting or advising tax fraud · 25 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2T1.6 · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2T3.1 Evading import duties or restrictions · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2T1.9 · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)

Primary guidelines the Commission associates with this offence type, with the district's caseload under each across all offence types.

§ 8Questions and answers

What is the typical sentence for tax offences in the Western District of Pennsylvania?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 18 months (1 yr 6 mo), with the middle half of terms between 12 and 24 months. 53% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for tax offences is 15 months.

How often are tax offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

25% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 47% below it for other reasons; 27% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, tax offences had a median prison term of 15 months and a within-range share of 24% over the same period. The district's figures are above on median term and close to the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2T1.1 and §2T1.4.

Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

§ 9Other offence types in the Western District of Pennsylvania

§ 10Provenance

Source: United States Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles, fiscal years 2018–2025 (US government works), aggregated by this site; the FY2025 file is dated 29 Apr 2026. Offence type is the Commission's OFFGUIDE code 29; district is CIRCDIST 17. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.